LAFAYETTE, Colo. – The West Conference opened its season with matches in Albuquerque and Logan, Utah, but it was visiting Wyoming and Air Force that won on the road against New Mexico and Utah State, respectively.

There were few scoring opportunities in the first half of the Cowboys’ 33-24 victory against the Lobos. Prop Michael Lewis dotted down for Wyoming less than five minutes into the match, but Lewis’ five points would be the only ones scored in the opening half.

“There were long periods of play where neither side could sustain multiple-phase play long enough to score, yet during those periods there were flashes of teamwork that were nice to see,” said Wyoming Head Coach Dave Finnoff of the lackluster first half.

The ball finally began to find hands in the second period, and Wyoming exploded for four tries in the opening 10 minutes of the second half, including a second score by Lewis.

“Michael Lewis was definitely our player of the game,” Finnoff said of his mobile prop. “When he goes, the team follows. His high work rate on offense and defense was the key to our team finishing the match on top.”

New Mexico eventually found its own footing on attack and began to chip away at the Cowboys’ lead. First, full back David De Vos slotted a penalty kick before he and flanker Tyler Davis bagged tries to bring the score to 33-24.

“Our inexperience and playing people out of position as the team fought to deal with the effects of three yellow cards caught up to us, and we made some defensive mistakes and let New Mexico through,” explained Finnoff. “Give credit to New Mexico for keeping up their effort and coming back strong and fully exploiting our mistakes.”

The Lobos’ rebuttal, however, was too little too late, and Wyoming returned home with a nine-point win.

Grigor Kerdikoshvili scored 14 points and James Hanley led a stout Air Force defense to a 29-17 win over Utah State in the Aggies’ very first contest as a member of the West Conference.

“The match was an excellent opportunity for the players to learn about adapting to the field and play,” said Air Force Head Coach Denny Merideth. “Utah State played a very spirited match with excellent support from their local fans.”

The Aggies took a 3-0 lead off the boot of Jeff Clark at the eight-minute mark. The opening penalty kick was followed by alternating tries by the two squads, leading to a 17-10 advantage for the Zoomies.

Air Force extended its lead to 29-10 following tries by Kerdikoshvili and Chase Bockstruck, but Utah State refused to end its first D1A Rugby fixture quietly. Aggie eight man Marty Johnson added a late try that Clark converted to make the final score a very respectable 29-17.

“Credit goes where credit is due to the Utah State players,” said Merideth about Air Force’s inability to further extend its lead. “For our part, we did not adapt well to the circumstances and lost many an opportunity through not paying attention to the touch and try lines, as well as simply not finding the handle on the ball.”

Utah State will play its first West match as a visiting team next weekend against a Wyoming side that has a 2-0 start on its mind, but knows it won’t come easily.

“They are a good team,” Finnoff said of the Aggies. “We will have to play our best to deal with them.”

​The Zoomies will take a step back from West competition to play military rival Navy Friday, Sept. 30, for the Col. Kevin Shea Cup at the Air Force Academy.

LAFAYETTE, Colo. – The 2016 West Conference title appears up for grabs. Last year’s conference champion, the University of Utah, will play out its West schedule that was penciled in prior to the PAC Rugby Conference joining D1A. So while the Utes will play each member of the West, Utah will not factor into the standings and will be in contention for a PAC Conference title in the spring.

The Utes’ exit makes Utah State University’s alignment with the West all the more important. Following an impressive 2015-16 season playing as a D1AA Independent, the Aggies are making the bold move to D1A Rugby and the West Conference.Utah’s departure opens the door for the conference’s traditional powers to reclaim their place at the top of the West. The Air Force Academy might be the team to seize that opportunity. The Zoomies won the conference two years ago and opened their season by thumping Utah, 66-26.

The University of Colorado, Colorado State and Wyoming have also had their own runs as the West’s best and it wouldn’t be out of the question to see one of the three rise to the top in 2016. New Mexico, on the other hand, has struggled mightily since its 2014 return to the conference. While the Lobos are expected to be much improved, a legitimate shot at the West title is still a year or two away.

The United States Air Force Academy

Air Force has hopes of being a better team in 2016 now that Denny Merideth is in his second season as head coach at the Academy, and the program’s 40-point win over Utah last weekend is an early indication the team will indeed be better.

“This year we expect the team to grow by leaps and bounds,” expressed Merideth. “Last year every player and coach made a commitment to solidify the team around a new culture of play. The foundation was laid last year and over the next few years we will build on that foundation so that the team will sustain a higher level of competition.”

Air Force laid its foundation, in part, by spending the spring semester playing the very best in the country. From February to March the Zoomies left the Air Force Academy to play Cal, BYU, Life and Saint Mary’s. Although the results weren’t in favor of the Zoomies, the harsh lessons on the road gave the team a glimpse of what it takes to play with the top programs in the nation.

“These experiences led to an understanding by the players of the play necessary to compete at the highest levels,” Merideth explained. “This year’s team is virtually the same as last year, so those experiences will translate directly into the preparation for the entire year both from a personal player perspective and the team’s perspective.”

It’s not only growing familiarity between players and coaches or the difficult slate of games from last year that have Air Force looking like a conference champion contender. There is a ton of talent returning to the military academy, as well.

Amongst the starters from that year that take back their jersey this season is Air Force’s best back and forward from 2015. Ben Burmester was one of the best backs in the West last season and will captain this year’s team from the inside center position. Similarly, Grigor Kerdikoshvili was one of the best forwards in the conference a year ago and will marshal the pack. Last year Kerdikoshvili played both second and third row, but will mostly factor into the Zoomies’ loose trio this season.

Like Burmester and Kerdikoshvili, Joey Carl, Colin Culver and Elliot Higgin were All-Conference selections in 2015 and are again in form for Air Force. So too was Hunter Hancock, but he unfortunately suffered a broken leg in training last week and will miss the fall season.

As the leaves begin to turn in the mountains, many teams similarly hope their early-season fortunes will turn as well. In Men's Club Division 2, Boulder Rugby got off to a slow start at home against Glendale, and will look to course-correct against the Denver Barbarians this weekend. Boulder is 3-0 against the Barbarians in the past two seasons, but it was also 3-1 against Glendale heading into last weekend's match. Boulder playmakers Sean Kilfoyle and Paul Rohr will have to elevate the team's play if it hopes to counteract the formidable Barbarian pack. In their home opener against the Harlequins last weekend, the Barbos saw prop Mark DeGuire go across the line twice, and the Barbarians are always relentless at the breakdown. In the Barbarian backline, both Lance Eberhard and Ryan Walker once again put a spark in the team's dynamism.

The Denver Harlequins have a much more difficult road to climb - both literally and figuratively - as they travel to Utah to take on Park City Haggis. After a disappointing home opener, the Quins will hope to catch Haggis off-guard as Denver coach Angus Peacock takes the reigns for a second full year. Park City has struggled with player loss from the advent of the Rugby Utah Men's Division, and will likely be hurting for depth until Spring. That being said, the veterans that remain for Haggis should provide the club plenty of firepower. Harlequin wing Paul Bordenkircher was spectacular in week 1, and the Quins' ability to get him the ball in space could prove the difference in the final score.

In Men's Club Division 3, the Northern Colorado Flamingos and Queen City Rams both look to get their seasons started against each other. Queen City is 14-2 in D3 in the past two seasons, but the Flamingos have been right at their heels, going 10-6 in the same time period. Last season, NoCo only lost to Queen City by three points (20-23), falling to a Ryan Clemons penalty kick in the 77th minute that sealed the game for Ctiy. For both teams, an early win in Fort Collins could give them significant momentum as they battle through a significantly-improved Division 3 schedule.

Elsewhere in D3, the relegated Colorado Springs Grizzlies hope to continue their hot start against the defending champion Denver Highlanders. In week 1, the Grizzlies made short work of a Glendale D3 side that went 5-2 last season, defeating them at Infinity Park South by a score of 56-12. The Colorado Springs' attack is said to be much improved, and consists of a number of players that opponents often underestimate, including fullback Tim Cornelius. The Grizzlies are also guided by the steady leadership of Sam "Irish" McGee in the front row. The Highlanders are no pushover, however, and this match is sure to speak volumes about the direction of this year's competition. Against the Harlequins' reserves in week 1, the Highlanders were similarly impressive, defeating the Quins 57-14, with the last 7 of 14 only coming from a try at the death. The Highlanders have weapons at virtually every position, including arguably the strongest tight-five in the league, and have the steady hand of Adam Price leading them from the flyhalf position. Price was good for nearly 12 points/game in 2015-2016, and is known for putting his teammates into space for quick strikes from every angle.

Division 4 action continues this weekend as well, as the Littleton Eagles hope to get off on a strong foot against the Colorado Springs reserves. The Grizzlies' D4 side defeated the Colorado Rush 90-7 in week 1, but will also be facing the Eagles on the same day their first team goes against the Highlanders. Littleton is something of an unknown entity, but they can be quite formidable when they have all their players in form. Both sides hope to finish in the top four of this year's 8-team Division 4 competition, and this match will go a long ways towards determining the ability to do just that.

The Rush hope to be vastly improved this weekend as they take on the Boulder reserves. Boulder's depth was tested in week 1, winning a high-scoring affair with the Marauders. If their defense doesn't improve, there's potential for another shootout, as the Rush's ability to score isn't in question if they can keep the ball in hand. Getting, and keeping, the ball will ultimately decide how well the Rush execute this weekend as they look for their first win of the season.

The Marauders-Harlequins Division 4 match has been postponed to Saturday, October 22.

Glendale heads to Berkeley in the Women's Premier League, as the two-time defending WPL Champions must face the most historically-successful club in women's club history on its own home ground. The match is also a rematch of the 2015 WPL Championship Final. In the first two rounds of play, Glendale has ground out two tough victories over the San Diego Surfers and Oregon Sports Union (ORSU), but Berkeley has more or less seen its wheels fall off and will need this win to get its season back on track. Last week, the All Blues lost to the Surfers by a score of 69-7.

The Boulder Babes host the Mid-Missouri Black Sheep in Women's Club Division 2 play. The Babes had a spirited exhibition session in Aspen last weekend, and look to return to the playoffs for the third year in a row. Hosting the Black Sheep should be a first step on that pathway, as the Columbia, Missouri-based side didn't offer much difficulty for the Babes last year in a match that saw Boulder victorious, 48-5.

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In the college ranks, Wyoming travels to New Mexico in a match that is must-win for both teams. For Wyoming, a win will demonstrate their back on the ascendancy; for New Mexico, this is one of their most-winnable games on a very daunting West D1A schedule.

In Salt Lake City, a high-profile friendly between Utah and Colorado State will have national eyes on it. Utah is a question mark to many at the moment, having shockingly lost to Air Force in their first match of the season. Whether Air Force is that good, or Utah is rebuilding, should be seen by the result against Colorado State. The Rams are an excellent team, and this match could be a big rankings-mover in D1A.

Utah State makes its D1A debut against Air Force. The Aggies have scores of Utah-based talent that's graduated from the state's impressive high school system, but Air Force looks to be firing on all cylinders. This match will be a good benchmark game for both teams as the West D1A Conference slowly starts to reveal itself.

In Men's College Division 2, Colorado Mines is looking to redeem itself after an early-season upset loss to Western State last weekend. They'll face a Colorado Mesa team that beat UCCS 17-13 last weekend, which was a much closer match than the contest between Mines and UCCS, which Mines won 46-10.

Mines and Mesa will also meet in Women's College Division 2, though expectations might be trending the other direction. Mines looked impressive in their 55-10 defeat of Wyoming, but Mesa looked unstoppable as it defeated UCCS 101-0 last weekend. Wyoming and UCCS will face each other as well, and the South Division of the conference should have a much clearer understanding of itself after this round of matches.​-----------------------------​Men's Club Division 2Denver Barbarians D2 vs. Boulder RugbyPark City Haggis vs. Denver Harlequins

LAFAYETTE, Colo. – The 12-team field and opening round matchups for the 2016 D1A Playoffs have been set. D1A’s postseason begins with a four-game first round April 16 and will conclude May 7 with the D1A Final, part of the 2016 USA Rugby College 15s National Championships at Saint Mary’s College in Moraga, Calif.​Indiana, Life, Saint Mary’s, and Utah earned first round byes after claiming conference championships, and won’t feature in the April 16 opening round of D1A’s four-week playoff. Instead, Air Force, Lindenwood, LSU, and San Diego State will have the luxury of playing at home in the first round, while Arizona, Cal Poly, Davenport, and Wheeling Jesuit will be on the road.

This weekend brings a host of high-quality rugby to the Rocky Mountains, including a rematch of the 2014 WPL Championship and the always-scintillating local derby between the Glendale Raptors and Denver Barbarians at Glendale's Infinity Park stadium.

Following that match, the 2014 PRP Finalist Glendale Raptors men's squad will take on the historic local powerhouse Denver Barbarians at 3:00 PM. Matches between these sides are usually the best men's rugby matches each year in Colorado. This year, Glendale and Denver enter the match sitting 2nd and 6th (respectively), after each squad struggled early on the road. With momentum now behind them, and fewer trips to California remaining, each side is capable of ending the weekend in the PRP's top two with a victory.

Elsewhere in the Rockies, the Men's Small College (NSCRO) Frontier Conference playoffs will take place at Infinity Park South and the University of Denver, and the premier division of men's collegiate rugby, Division 1A, resumes with high-profile matches between New Mexico and Colorado, as well as Colorado State and Air Force.

Be sure to check out these matches live to support your local rugby community!

After snowstorms derailed the first two weeks of the spring portion of West Conference play, March 7 will finally see the Eastern Rockies clubs take the pitch. The sunshine couldn’t arrive at a better time as No. 11 Colorado State seeks revenge against No. 7 Air Force Saturday.It’s likely that both the Rams and Zoomies would have preferred to reopen conference play against a lesser opponent, but it’s not like either team hasn’t played competitive rugby in 2015. Air Force was able to break a good sweat at the Las Vegas Invitational, while Colorado State earned its best win of the season in February – a 29-21 victory over Arizona.“Getting that big win in our first game [of 2015] has the guys feeling ready,” said Colorado State Assistant Coach Ryan Walker.The Rams lost out on opportunities to face New Mexico and Wyoming the past two weeks, while the Zoomies are equally disappointed to have postponed a conference match and cancel a trip to Provo, Utah, to earn quality minutes against BYU. Still, Colorado State doesn’t see any reason to come out sluggish against Air Force.“It hasn’t been ideal having our games canceled, but that’s been the only thing to negatively effect us,” Walker said. “We’re pretty fortunate to have some state-of-the-art facilities at Colorado State where we can practice indoors when the weather is bad.”Those indoor training sessions will have to have been productive for the Rams to challenge Air Force tomorrow. Back in September, the Zoomies welcomed Colorado State to the Academy and promptly picked them apart – 57-24. The 33-point loss is the only blemish on the Rams’ record.Colorado State fly half Lance Eberhard was forced to leave the pitch within the match’s first five minutes for an injury substitute, and his replacement at No. 10 didn’t last much longer before picking up an injury of his own. Even at full strength, the Rams have a few aspects of their game they will need to improve upon to upset the cadets at Infinity Park.“Physicality and aggression are two of the biggest things,” Walker suggested. “Air Force is guaranteed to be in shape and they’re always going to be physical. They’ve got everything going for them, so at the very least we have to match their physicality.”After postponing two trips to Colorado for conference matches the past couple of weeks, New Mexico hosts the Buffaloes tomorrow. The Lobos are seeking their first conference win of the season, while No. 19 Colorado is at full strength after dealing with an uncommon amount of injuries throughout the fall.

The Air Force sent two teams to the competition; the Air Force Aces and the Elites.

Szarzynski started playing at Eastern Connecticut State University. They day he quit playing soccer the rugby coach approached him and offered him a position on the team. He told him to bring his cleats and get a mouth guard and he could be a part of the team. After learning the sport, he ended up loving it and becoming a talented player.

"It's so much different than any other sport," Szarzynski said. "There's so much more to it. You move around so much and you need to be able to cover all aspects of the game at all times. It took years to become even remotely good."

MacAndrew played football growing up and has always been into sports. When he was at the U.S. Air Force Academy he was on the football team for two years and the track team for four, which then lead him to rugby.

"I'm from Texas, so I was born and bred to play football," MacAndrew said.

MacAndrew first tried rugby at the Academy, but considers himself to still be learning the game.

"It's a lot of skill and a lot of strategy," he said. "You're constantly learning and constantly running around. You have to know everyone's position and yours and how that affects the game."

Both rugby players were opened up to the idea of the Air Force team by coworkers and fellow Team Buckley members.

Szarsynski also plays for the Denver Harlequins, a local rugby team. A member of one of his rival teams is a guardsman in Colorado and suggested that he try out for the Air Force team.

After making the team, both Airmen felt excited and proud, they said. The Air Force team is made up of roughly 70 members who will participate in games and competitions based on whoever is available.

Meeting up in Las Vegas, Nevada, MacAndrew and Szarsynski only had one week with the other players to practice and unite as a team.

"Bringing everyone together just for a week is really tough," MacAndrew said. "It's also really neat because everyone can bring different aspects to the game from their experiences."

"You have to be very flexible and adapt to the coaches strategy," he added. "It's not easy."

MacAndrew and Szarsynski both played on one of the two Air Force teams at the tournament. The Airmen agreed that the tournament went well for both teams. The Aces made it to the quarterfinals and the other Air Force team made it to the semifinals. Combined, the teams finished with a 5-5 record.

"From where we started day one, to how we played in the tournament, was night and day," Szarzynski said. "Being able to play competitively against the other teams was very rewarding."

There may not be many D1A matchups this weekend involving two teams at or near the top of their conference’s standings, but there are plenty of teams that currently sit in the middle of the pack and need wins to get into a conference championship conversation.Big Ten UniversitiesUndefeated Michigan hosts Michigan State Friday night. The Wolverines have looked sharp out of the gates and are surely the favorites, but you cannot count out Sparty in a rivalry match.Minnesota has to be feeling good about its 2-0 start, but Saturday’s match against Ohio State should be its toughest test yet. The Buckeyes need a win to get their season back on track, while a Gopher victory will garner the attention of the rest of the Big Ten Universities teams.Rugby EastIt was relatively known heading into the season that the three newcomers to Rugby East would struggle against the four teams that previously occupied the conference. Up to this point, nothing has happened on the pitch to lead anyone to believe anything different. So, Buffalo and Iona should really be up against it when they play Penn State and Army, respectively.The one match out of the East that could stay close for a full 80 minutes is St. Bonaventure’s visit to Wheeling Jesuit. After playing Army tough, the Bonnies were blown out by Penn State, 81-5. If St. Bonaventure can compete at the level it did against West Point then it could pull off the upset against Jesuit.Kutztown is the type of program that does not like to take a weekend off, and they have shown that by scheduling tough nonconference opponents outside of its Rugby East schedule. This week the Golden Bears have Maryland, one of the better teams out of the Atlantic Coast Rugby League and home to the Cima brothers – AIG Men’s Collegiate All-American Matias and MJAA and BHSAA star Ben.Red RiverNo D1A game has more intrigue this week than Texas versus Oklahoma. Not only does the match represent one of the best rivalries in all of college sports, but the Longhorns and Sooners look to be the top two sides out of the Red River this fall. Check out D1A’s full preview of the Red River Rivalry.Texas Tech gets its first chance to hit someone in an opposing color when Baylor comes to town Saturday. After a solid 15s season last spring, Baylor has been a minor disappointment in the early going this fall. It is not that the Bears’ 0-2 record is something to hang their heads about – both losses came against quality sides in Oklahoma and Texas – but it’s the fashion in which they have dropped those games. Baylor has been outscored 105-25 in its first two Red River matches. Still, this game is anyone’s to win.WestAir Force looks to be the class of the West so far, so Colorado will have to up its game in order to give the Zoomies a challenge. Of course, Air Force must have been flying high after an emotional victory over Navy last Friday, so if there is any letdown on their end, the Buffs could capitalize at home.Wyoming was disappointed to settle for a tie last week against the Buffaloes. A win against Colorado State should alleviate that disappointment, and the Cowboys have a good shot on Saturday as the Ram will be without stud flanker Ben Pinkelman who is in Canada representing the Eagles Select XV in Canada at the 2014 Americas Rugby Championship.D1A Independent squad Arizona will field a developmental side to play the West’s New Mexico. Several key players for the Wildcats will be in California competing at the West Coast 7s and a spot in USA Rugby’s 2015 College 7s National Championship. The match could be a tight one, as New Mexico is young and inexperienced, while Arizona will be suiting up a side made up almost entirely of freshmen and sophomores.Mid-SouthNobody out of the Mid-South is afraid of a challenge. That is why Davenport is playing former conference foe Arkansas State and Lindenwood is playing Life’s Elite Training Group – a side combining the senior club team and undergrad team.Davenport will no doubt play with a spirited intensity, especially because it is a Friday night homecoming match, but it may not be enough to pull off the upset against the Red Wolves. Arkansas State impressed in a lopsided win over Glendale a few weeks back, plus Davenport will be without All-American prop Angus MacLellan who, like Pinkelman, is playing with the Eagles Selects.Lindenwood has already beat three quality senior club sides, including Glendale, but Life’s Elite Training Group should present them the most problems. The Lions can matchup athletically with any team in the country – college or club – but coaches Tui Osborne and Dan Payne will have their side technically prepared in ways few coaches can.

Even with half of the West Conference schedule being played out in the fall, Air Force’s most important match of the semester is the battle of the Shea Cup against Navy, which took place this past Friday. To the thrill of the home crowd at the Terrazzo on the Air Force Academy campus, the Zoomies refused to relinquish the Shea Cup by overtaking a powerful Navy squad, 38-26.The rivalry between Air Force and Navy is one of the very best in college rugby, and the importance of the annual encounter has only increased since the creation of the Shea Cup. Named after Lt. Col. Kevin Shea, who had ties to both the Air Force and Navy rugby programs and lost his life serving his country in Iraq in 2004, the Shea Cup will remain in Colorado Springs following Air Force’s 12-point win.Loose forwards Garrett Jameson and Greg Search combined for four tries to lead the Air Force attack. The win moves the Zoomies to 3-0 and pushed the first-place team out of the West to No. 7 in D1A’s Top 20.Air Force’s women’s side made it a complete sweet of the Naval Academy on the weekend with a decisive 47-22 win. For the men, Air Force’s next challenge comes way of an afternoon trip to Boulder to face reigning West Champion Colorado Oct. 11.

This week the Air Force Academy and the University of Arizona have nonconference rivalry matches to look forward to. Air Force hosts Navy Friday afternoon, while Arizona State will visit Sitton Field on the U of A campus to tangle with the Wildcats.While both matches are considered traditional games and both D1A teams face opponents worthy of their undivided attention, the two rivalries are also quite different.For the Air Force Academy, in rugby and in all sports, competitions against fellow military academies equates to the biggest stage of sport for these young men and women.“Whenever we play another military academy in any sport it’s huge,” explained Air Force Head Coach Joe Muehlbauer. “But especially in rugby, with Navy and Army both having really good programs, getting a win is a big deal for us.”Additional pride has enhanced the rivalry in the form of the Shea Cup, which now titles the match as well as the trophy for the victors. The Cup is named after Kevin Shea, a former Air Force Academy rugby player who eventually switched commissions to the Marine Corps and went on to play for Navy’s active military rugby team. Tragically, Shea was killed while stationed in Iraq, but his memory and unique relationship with both the Air Force and Navy rugby programs lives on.Air Force currently holds the Shea Cup after beating Navy in Colorado Spings, Colo., two years ago. Last fall, the match was canceled due to the government shutdown. Air Force knows they have a considerable challenge ahead of them if they want to retain the Shea Cup.“It’s going to be a tough game for us,” said Muehlbauer. “Navy is always big and well coached. [Navy Head Coach] Mike Flanagan is a buddy of mine, and he and his entire staff are really good coaches.”Unlike some rivalries, these two military academies have the utmost respect for one another. The admiration for their opposition will be apparent once the final whistle blows Friday.“As much as you want to tear them apart and physically dominate them during the match, after the match the guys know they are more alike than different,” Muehlbauer said. “So, there is always a big get-together after the match. We eat together and share stories and experiences. It’s a lot of fun.”In the desert, Arizona and Arizona State’s rivalry has been built on geography and an athletic feud dating back to the late 1800s when the two institutions’ football teams began playing each other. The long-standing Pac-10, and now Pac-12, rivalry has translated to the rugby pitch.“It’s a great rivalry,” exclaimed Arizona Head Coach Sean Duffy. “Arizona State has a great program in both sevens and 15s. It’s really exciting to have a team this good right in our backyard.”Duffy and his staff have decided to put extra emphasis on building a sevens unit this fall, with a number of players training strictly for sevens while they prepare for three fall tournaments. So, Arizona will be without a number of key players during Saturday’s match against Arizona State – players who will be available when the two teams play again in February.Even though Saturday’s match is designated as a friendly, Duffy is convinced this weekend’s encounter will not be very polite.“A lot of guys on our side have friends on the other team, but I don’t think they’ll be friends for 80 minutes on Saturday,” said Duffy.Last season, the Wildcats defeated the Sun Devils, 51-38, in an emotional afternoon which coincided with the grand opening of Sitton Field, the on-campus rugby facility named after legendary Arizona Head Coach Dave Sitton.

The West was one of two D1A conferences to expand this season with the addition of New Mexico into the fold. Another key difference this season for the West is the split in their conference schedule between the fall and spring semesters. In recent history, the West has played the entirety of its league competition in the spring, whereas this season each team will play head-to-head once in both the fall and spring.Last season witnessed the West send three teams – Colorado, Colorado State and Wyoming – into the D1A Playoffs, with Colorado reaching its second consecutive National Quarterfinal. This year, there is no reason to believe the West does not have the talent to match last year’s number of three playoff teams.Air Force AcademyLongtime Air Force Head Coach Joe Muehlbauer was proud of his Zoomies’ effort last season, but he knows Air Force lost too many winnable matches. This season, Muehlbauer believes he has the pieces in place to overturn the misfortunes of last year and get back to the playoffs.For the Cadets of Colorado Springs, they’ll need to replace All-American Jack Bristol before they can even think about improving on last season’s results. Luckily, it looks as though number eight Garrett Jameson is ready to take on the leadership role that Bristol carried so firmly. Jameson is a rugged defender and excellent ball carrier to match.Teams familiar with Air Force know a physically-punishing 80 minutes can be expected, and this season will be no different with props Taylor Cooksey and James Hanley leading the tight five. Both Cooksey and Hanley run upwards of six-foot-four and 260 pounds and enjoy contact at the breakdown.A common misconception around the Air Force program is that they lack the speed and athleticism of some other D1A teams – they don’t. This season, Victor Woo has taken over the scrum half duties. Woo has been a mainstay on Air Force’s sevens side, but is now ready to make an impact for the first XV. Adding to Air Force’s speed and athleticism is Zach White’s return from injury. The full back has been chomping at the bit to get back on the pitch, and already made his presence felt with two tries in Air Force’s 61-14 win over New Mexico.Always looking to push the limits of its players, Air Force has scheduled some very stiff competition around its West Conference matches including matches against Army, Navy, and San Diego State. Even with monumental rivals Army and Navy looming, the Zoomies’ coaching staff knows there will not be any pushovers out of the West.“I think the West has really improved,” said Muehlbauer. “I think we’ve improved, but so has Colorado State. Wyoming and Colorado are always tough, and New Mexico will be all right once they get their feet underneath them. I think we have an extremely difficult conference out here.”University of ColoradoThe reigning West champions used a high-powered offense to take them all the way to Marietta, Ga., where the Buffs fell to Life University in the National Quarterfinals. However, Colorado was a senior-laden team last season and lost key backline players and All-Americans Sean Kilfoyle and Brian Waneless. The new-look Buffs are much younger, and will rely on their muscle in the pack rather than a long list of dynamic backs that bolstered last year’s roster.“After our first week we know we have a lot of work to do to get back to where we were last season,” admitted Head Coach Jim Snyder. “There are a lot of good teams in our conference, so it will be a challenge to navigate through this fall schedule.”The “first week” that Snyder is referring to included an embarrassing 57-0 loss to Colorado State. The Buffs were missing a number of starters, but the scoreline suggests Colorado has more to do than simply get healthy to be competitive.Helping the Buffalos get back to being a West contender will be hooker Gavin Moscone and back-rower Connor Kissler, each of whom are coming off of stellar freshman seasons.After the graduation of several steady backline players and early injuries keeping halfbacks Jay Brown and Rhys Watkins off of the pitch, there has been a massive shift in the backline. After contributing from the wings last season, Jake Shomer, Piere Poupeau, and Cory Ketai move inside to fly half, center, and scrum half, respectively.Snyder is also counting on newcomers to the Boulder campus Zach Niro and Kip Nilson to make immediate impacts. Niro is a flanker with an extremely high work rate, while Nilson is a dangerous backline runner who participated in the high-school Stars and Stripes Camp over the summer.Colorado State UniversityQualifying for the D1A Playoffs has become the norm for Colorado State, but the Rams believe they have the players and structures in place to raise expectations in Fort Collins, Colo., and get beyond the opening round of the playoffs.“To be honest, we feel we can go a lot further than that,” said Colorado State Backs Coach Ryan Walker. “But no one is getting too far ahead of themselves, and we are taking it one game at a time.”With the return of Junior All-American and rising start Ben Pinkleman, one can’t blame Colorado State for thinking big this season. Pinkleman took a hiatus from college last spring to play for the Denver Barbarians and has already asserted himself onto Men’s Eagles Head Coach Mike Tolkin’s radar. Now back with the Rams, Pinkleman is one of the best players in college rugby and will be patrolling the park from his openside flanker position.Joining Pinkleman in the back row is Evan Giest at number eight. Giest is a big body, and along with Pinkleman will be making things difficult for opposing teams at the breakdown.Although Colorado State lost All-American prop Stephen Karas to graduation, the Rams return three front-rowers who all possess valuable playing time for Colorado State’s first XV in Jaron Beerlire, Jackson Brockway, and Eric Hamilton.In the backs, Joe Sullivan has been a consistent performer since transferring from Arkansas State, and Luke Engelhaupt is a danger-man in the 13 jersey. The back three for the Rams is young but talented, with freshmen Liam Wynne and Jack Connor already making themselves quite comfortable running with the first XV.Last week Colorado State made noise by blowing out Colorado, 57-0. The two bitter rivals are known for competing against one another in nail-biting fashion, making the decisive shutout so shocking. The result may have, in part, something to do with the Rams hosting an elite camp with the help of Canterbury Rugby Football Union and led by Super Rugby’s Crusaders Assistant Coach Tabai Matson.“The players loved it,” proclaimed Walker. “Our entire A-side attended the camp and a few of our B-side players attended as well. I think it was really eye-opening for the guys. A lot of them have intentions of taking their rugby to the next level, so for them to be coached by a guy who currently coaches 13 All Blacks and one of the best professional sides in the world was a great learning experience.”Colorado State is excited about the prospect of continuing and expanded the elite camp for both players and coaches as a yearly tradition. But for the here and now, the Rams have their sights on a West Championship.University of New MexicoThe players on the New Mexico rugby team made their intentions loud and clear last year that they wanted back in the West Conference and to play at the highest level of college rugby. Now, after strengthening their numbers and doing everything asked of them administratively, they’ve earned the right to play in one of the better conferences in the country.“The players worked their tails off to do everything on and off the field to get back into the West Conference and into D1A,” said Lobos Head Coach Michael Hardy.Still, it remains uncertain how New Mexico will perform now that they are back in the West.“The expectation right now is to play competitive games,” said Hardy. “These teams we are playing are some of the top-rated teams in the nation. So, to be competitive with them is our goal until we can build on our numbers and skill level.”Giving the Lobos an opportunity to stay competitive this fall will be explosive winger Dasante Browne and inside center Joe Krigbaum. Hardy has also received early contributions from a number freshman who just wrapped up stellar high school careers.University of WyomingComing off of a season that earned the Cowboys a place in D1A’s Playoffs, there is reason for optimism in Laramie, Wyo. Sure, Wyoming is not much more experienced than last year’s team after graduating some key forwards and scrum half Alex Knowles, but the team does return players who have won tough matches in their careers and are a bit more athletic this season.“Overall we are incredibly inexperienced, but really excited to play,” said Head Coach David Finoff.The experience begins with captain Derek Aggerman, who takes over the ‘C’ while the Cowboys await the return of last year’s captain Ben Pacheco who is still recovering from a ruptured patellar tendon. Wyoming will also need a group of sophomores to progress rather rapidly in halfback Connor Rezzonico and props Michael Lewis and Sam Jacobs.Behind Lewis and Jacobs is second-rower Scott Ericsson, while Jose Campos and Timothy Mendoza must be disruptive loose-forwards for the Cowboys.Bobby Watkins, who has spent time in the centers, is slotted as one of Wyoming’s wingers. He has the athleticism and reps under his belt to make big plays. Coach Finoff is also excited about what his transfer from Canada, Jonathan Arndt, can do to help the team.Laramie is never an easy place to play for opposing teams, so if the Cowboys can steal a couple of matches on the road they will have as good a shot as any to win the West.Predicted Finish:

Stillwater, Okla. – The West LAU College All Star Tournament was held November 4 to 8 at the home of Oklahoma State University, with Eastern Rockies taking the title after a dramatic scramble to make up points differential.

​Rich Cortez led a team made up of players from Air Force, Wyoming, Colorado, and Northern Colorado. Because of not having time to train together, ERRFU was expected to be rusty in their opening game, and that's exactly what happened.

During a half rife with ERRFU handling errors, Ozark took full advantage and put up four tries in a 26-5 first half. Ozark scored again to make it 33-5, and then ERRFU launched a dramatic comeback, scoring 31 points. Ozark, however, scored that critical last try to win 38-36.

Ozark faced Rio Grande in the next game, and used a mostly second side in that contest as Rio Grande won 40-16. Suddenly, Eastern Rockies were back in it, and needed to win by 26 to advance to the final. Down 7-5 at the half, Eastern Rockies again poured it on in the second period, scoring 36 and winning 41-12 – a difference of 29.

In the other pool, Missouri RFU withdrew, leaving Heart of America and Texas to play a single match. Heart narrowly prevailed over a much bigger Texas squad 21-19, but critically they lost Truman State flyhalf and All American Sean Foley to injury.

Led by the brilliant play of Air Force flyhalf John Feely, ERRFU then defeated Heart of America in the final 50-15. The game was tight for much of the first half before the fitter ERRFU side pulled away. Ryan Dombreck and Mark Burley each scored two tries, while fellow Air Force Zoomie John Lockhard added one. Wyoming's Cory Sittner also added two tries, while Dan Murphy (Colorado) and Cory Lambert (Northern Colorado) also scored. Heart of America's points came from tries by Kevin Jones of Truman State (two) and Phil Connealy of Kansas State.In the consolation match Texas defeated Rio Grande 32-6.Cortez voiced pride in a team that didn't get discouraged."Credit goes to the kids who were committed not give up, made sure of their communication with each other, and constantly covered each others mistakes," the coach said.Alec Klinghoffer did well in running the event, which was blessed with excellent weather.